Myskoxe

Musk Ox

Musk Ox

(Ovibos moschatus) The musk ox is the last of the great prehistoric animals. They lived alongside mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses during the last ice age - even in our country. The mammoths and rhinoceroses have been extinct for a long time, but the musk oxen continue to survive in the harsh and cold tundra areas. The musk oxen died out in Scandinavia 3000 years ago. In the summer of 1971, a handful of musk oxen migrated to Härjedalen from Norway. By the mid-1980s, the number of animals was about 34. The musk oxen's only natural enemy is the wolf. The adult musk oxen form a tight ring (with their horns outward) around the calves as a defense against wolf attacks. The wolves have a very difficult time getting past the "living wall" and taking the calves.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Hollow-horned animals (Bovidae)
Weight: Between 225-400 kg. Bulls are significantly heavier than cows.
Lifespan: Around 20 years.
Mating season: July - August
Gestation period: 7 - 9 months
Calves: They are born in April-June the year after mating.
Myskoxe
Ren

Reindeer

Reindeer

(Rangifer tarandus) The reindeer is the only deer species where both the male and female have antlers. The wild reindeer was extinct in our country during the 1800s. "Swedish reindeer" nowadays refer to domesticated reindeer kept by the Sami people. The reindeer is one of the most useful domesticated animals. The Sami name for the male reindeer is "sarv" and for the female "vaja". A castrated male reindeer is called a "härk" and is used as a draft animal. As a living animal, the reindeer is used as a draft and pack animal (pack reindeer) and the females can also be milked. After slaughter, virtually all parts of the reindeer are used. Lichens of various kinds are the reindeer's most important food. Reindeer are specially adapted to digest and utilize the sparse diet. During the summer, their diet is supplemented with grass, herbs, leaves, and mushrooms. In winter, reindeer use their hooves to dig through the snow to find ground lichens. They also eat hanging lichens from trees. Wild reindeer can be found throughout the tundra areas of the northern hemisphere. In North America, they are called Caribou.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: 70 - 150 kg (male), 40 - 100 kg (female).
Lifespan: Around 20 years.
Mating season: September - October
Gestation period: 8 months
Calves: They are born in May-June.
Ren
Skogsvildren

Forest Reindeer

Forest Reindeer

(Rangifer tarandus fennicus) Translation: The reindeer is the only deer species where both the female and male have antlers. The forest reindeer is a subspecies of the tundra reindeer and is adapted to living in the large forests. It has considerably longer legs, broader hooves and a narrower antler crown compared to the tundra reindeer. The wild reindeer became extinct in Sweden in the 1860s, and it was protected 50 years later in 1915. They live in small herds. Nowadays, the "Swedish reindeer" are domesticated reindeer, which are kept by the Sami people.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: 180-200 kg (males), 120-140 kg (females).
Lifespan: ca 15 years
Mating season: July - August
Gestation period: 9-10 months, but with a delayed fetal development - the fetus begins to develop about 5 months before birth.
Calves: They are born in May-June.
Skogsvildren
Älg

Moose / Elk

Moose / Elk

(europeisk älg; Alces alces) The moose is the largest land mammal in our country. It is found throughout the country except on the island of Gotland. In the past 20-30 years, the moose population has increased significantly, and today we have a population of about 300,000 animals. The reasons for the increase are several, but regulation of hunting and more abundant food due to new forestry methods (clear-cutting) are the main ones. The male moose has the largest antlers at the age of 7-10 years and is then called a "kapital". Then the antlers decrease in size and are called "retur". There are two types of antlers: palmate antlers and cervine antlers.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: Between 320-450 kg (bulls), in extreme cases up to 800 kg. Between 275-375 kg (cows).
Lifespan: Up to 25 years
Mating season: 1 September-October
Gestation period: ca 8 months
Calves: Born in May-June and weighs 8-15 kg at birth: usually 1 or 2 calves, which nurse for 7-8 months.
Älg
Dovhjort

Fallow Deer

Fallow Deer

(Dama dama) The Fallow deer originally comes from the Mediterranean area and was brought to Sweden during the 16th century as a captive animal. From the mid-1800s, it has been wild (planted from captivity) in southern Sweden.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: About 100-120 kg (males), about 60-80 kg (females).
Lifespan: Approximately 16 years
Mating season: oktober - november
Gestation period: Approximately 230 days
Calves: Born in June, usually 1 calf is born sometimes 2, which nurses for 8 months.
Dovhjort
Rådjur

Roe Deer

Roe Deer

(Capreolus capreolus) The roe deer is our smallest deer. In the 18th century, the roe deer was on the verge of extinction in Sweden. It was saved in Skåne and since the 1850s, the population has steadily increased.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: 23-28 kg (bucks), 20-26 kg (does)
Lifespan: ca 15 years
Mating season: July - August
Gestation period: 9-10 months, but with a delayed fetal development - the fetus begins to develop about 5 months before birth.
Calves: They are called "kids". The female usually gives birth to 2 kids, which weigh 1.5-2.5 kg at birth.
Rådjur
Vildsvin

Wild Boar

Wild Boar

(Sus scrofa) The wild boar is now a quite common animal in southern and central Sweden. It primarily eats plant parts such as roots and tubers, but also includes small rodents, insects, worms, and carrion in its diet. It has a robust build with a large head and short legs. Its fur is dark gray-brown and shaggy. The winter coat is thick and long-haired, while the summer coat resembles "a week-old beard." The boar's tusks continue to grow throughout its life and form dangerous upward-pointing fangs. It can run up to 50 km/h.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Pigs (Suidae)
Weight: Suggor upptill 150 kg galt något tyngre upp till 175 kg
Lifespan: Usually lives up to 8 years (up to 20 years).
Mating season: September - November
Gestation period: 4 months (115 days)
Offspring: Sows give birth to 3-8 piglets that are lighter brown with longitudinal dark stripes. They follow the sow until she gives birth again.
Vildsvin
Visenter

European bison

European bison

(Bison bonasus) The European Bison, also known as the Wisent, is a true herd animal. They often move calmly and slowly when searching for food. The herd usually contains 10-30 animals and is led by an older cow with a calf. The European Bison no longer lives in the wild in Sweden. It disappeared from southern Sweden almost 1,000 years ago. The European Bison was exterminated in the wild around the time of World War I, but was saved by the 50 or so animals that were in 8 zoos, one of which was in Sweden. Characteristics of bulls include dark brown fur, a powerful shoulder area, hump, shaggy mane, short broad head with short horns, forelock, and chin beard.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Hollow-horned animals (Bovidae)
Weight: Males (bulls): Between 800 - 900 kg
Females (cows): Between 500 - 600 kg
Lifespan: More than 30 years
Mating season: Occurs in August - September
Gestation period: 9 - 10 months
Calves: Born in May-July
Visenter
Kronhjort

Red Deer

Red Deer

(Cervus elaphus) The red deer has been present in Sweden since the Ice Age. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was close to extinction in our country. Today, the population is slowly increasing. They mainly live in Skåne. Otherwise, the red deer can be found in southern and central Sweden and occasionally even in the coastal areas of northern Sweden. The adult deer has antlers that normally have three forward-facing points. The top points form a "crown", which has given the red deer its name.

Belongs to: Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Family: Deer family (Cervidae)
Weight: About 250 kg (male), about 120 kg (female).
Lifespan: 30 years
Mating season: September - October
Gestation period: Approximately 235 days
Calves: They are born in May-June, usually only 1 calf but in rare cases 2 calves.
Kronhjort